La Scène restaurant - Paris

Stéphanie Le Quellec sets La Scène "The Prince de Galles’ gastronomic revival"

Not only the winner of Top Chef 2011, Stéphanie Le Quellec is one of her generation’s most promising chefs.
At the gastronomical restaurant La Scène the young woman has thought up an ambitious cuisine that combines authenticity and modernity, joined by a single underlying principle: glorify the produce, which takes center stage...

More on Terroirs de Chefs

Table - Paris

Already a radio critic, blogger and fine food connoisseur, Bruno Verjus has nonetheless surprised us with his new undertaking: he has opened his own restaurant "Table", in the 12th arrondissement of Paris near the bustling Aligre fresh produce market. 

 The name is well-chosen, for in the brick and metal ambiance of the restaurant’s interior design, the tables come in all shapes and sizes - round, square, high, low, long and counter-style.  Some of them are placed front row before the stoves, so that guests miss none of the action. 

Verjus seems a happy man, welcoming guests in front of the bar before getting back to work in the kitchen – for he is also the chef, with a simple motto, “All I want is for people to be happy here.”

To achieve this, he has sought out the very best produce from regional France: vegetables are carefully selected by Joël Thiébault, the blonde d’Aquitaine beef comes from Polmard’s (an excellent stock breeder and butcher from Lorraine), black pork is from Gascony, Fourme from the Hautes Chaumes, morels from the Jura and Beaufort from the Alpine slopes of Mons. The produce comes straight from the farm, without intermediaries, and at the time of our visit the chef was waiting for his asparagus to be delivered…by express post.  Everything is cooked upon arrival, one could say it is ‘from the land to the plate’, or ‘from the sea to the plate’.

Table - Paris

The menu offers 5 or 6 entrées, 3 mains and 2 desserts, according to the seasons, the daily catch and the market.  The produce, the produce…

There is raw, sushi-style skipjack tuna, delicately served on a potato half.  The horse mackerel, also raw and delicately flavored with wild herbs and citrus, simply captures the palette.  Langoustine is grilled with thyme and pearly plump monkfish is deliciously complemented by bay leaf oil.

Some will claim that this is not ‘cuisine’, that some starters are insufficiently elaborate, or that the fish should be cooked.  But this is not the house philosophy.  Instead, one comes to ‘Table’ for the uncluttered taste of excellent, fresh, produce. Verjus’ two Japanese kitchen hands appear to fully appreciate this and they chop, trim, roast and dress in silence, creating a quiet bustle whereby the three men don’t need words to understand each other.  They are simply there to enhance the natural produce and serve guests.

To finish, freshly roasted pineapples are served warm with vanilla ice-cream, in a delicious contrast. When we compliment him, Verjus modestly replies “The star in the kitchen is the produce”.  That may well be, but in this particular case, the produce also has a very talented manager….

By Vanessa Besnard for Terroirs de Chefs

Miss Kô - Paris

Purists be warned, Miss Kô is not an exercise in the fine art of Japanese cuisine, but a total experience. Entering Starck´s “crazy collage” (in his own words) is to embark upon a dreamlike voyage, into a Wonderland inhabited by giant teapots and large, hallucinatory Shitake mushrooms that appear to have grown on the shelf tops. Back in the real world, we follow the glowing Kâ to the back of the restaurant that buzzes like a Tokyo laneway, a heady din of dishes and steam rising from its busy stalls.

Under the benign gaze of Miss Kô, character created by David Rocheline (who also designed the friezes and plates), we explore an exciting and creative menu. Sushi, maki, bo bun, tataki, new style burgers... the inspiration is just as American as it is Asian. Perhaps not surprising, given that the owner (who also owns the Paradis du Fruit restaurants) divides his time between France and the USA.

The house specialty is wonderful: bearing the made-up name of 'Sashizza', it is a crunchy gyoza pastry base with thin tuna sashimi, delicately seasoned with truffle oil and shiso sprouts. A dish for sharing, it is so delicious that you can’t help but ask for more.

Miss Kô - Paris

Next, its time for the sushi party. Some are really good, like the yellowtail with cucumber and piquillo sauce. Others are less successful, such as the unusual Red Baron with a strong Roquefort flavor that dominates the fish, or the American-inspired sushi, betrayed by too much spicy mayo.

The beef tataki is perfectly seared and melts in the mouth and the green bean tempura resemble delicious fries. But do not stop there as the dessert menu holds some nice surprises, such as the perfectly presented cheesecake or the completely regressive shu-shu, also for sharing. Otherwise, try scaling the Emperors' Himalaya, a traditional coconut ball revisited as a giant meringue, crowned with a mix of white chocolate and yuzu flavored whipped cream.

We will come back soon to Miss Kô, with friends, for here everything is meant to be shared: table, dish, food, discussion.

By Vanessa Besnard for Terroirs de Chefs

Table Ronde - Paris

A concept in vogue!
What an enticing idea: an ephemeral dinner with the chef of your choosing.  Would you like Alexandre Gauthier or Christopher Hache? Jérôme Banctel or William Ledeuil?  Tough decision…

Nicolas Chatenier is behind Table Ronde, or ‘Round Table’, a unique place devoted to the discovery of contemporary cuisine.  Architect Bruno Borrione designed the space, aimed at bringing the chef into direct contact with guests.
Established in the Marais neighborhood of Paris, the action no longer takes place in the dining room, but in the kitchen. 

The interior and technical design is deliberately discreet, allowing the chef to occupy center stage.
For each ephemeral dinner, 16 lucky guests are invited to take a seat and appreciate the talent of the chef especially invited for that date. 

So far Anne-Sophie Pic, Olivier Nasti and David Zuddas have taken part.

Table Ronde aims to meet a double demand:  firstly, that of chefs who are interested in cooking one-off dinners, according to their whim and for a select audience. Secondly, that of cuisine afficionados who want to better understand how current cuisine is made, in direct dialogue with its best creative minds, the chefs. 

By Sophie le Menestrel for Terroirs de Chefs

Agapé Substance - Paris © Thai Toutain

The Agapé Substance experience:Between table d’hôte and gourmet counter..

Young chef Gaëtan Gentil takes over with flair from David Toutain

Chef David Toutain is a hard act to follow, especially given his contribution to the excellent reputation of Agapé Substance. After his departure for new adventures, Laurent Lapaire and Olivier le France sought a new kitchen genius, which they have found in the person of Gaëtan Gentil.

Originally from Le Mans, Gentil has taken up the reins in the kitchen, equipped with an almost entirely new team. His mentors and peers are Emmanuel Renaut, Jean-François Piège (from Crillon days) and Yannick Alléno (Cheval Blanc). In particular, Piège taught him the fundamentals of technique and the art of simplicity.

This is why it is worth going to discover the young Parisian chef’s talent, for behind the deceptively simple dishes is a perfect mastery of cooking, seasoning and the interplay of textures.

It is a pleasure to watch the team at work in the open kitchen-counter, although ‘work’ is an understatement: instead, there is a veritable worship of the produce, the cosseted star that must be respected and pushed into the limelight. Sea urchin, turnip-rooted chervil, monkfish, wood hedgehog, duckling, abalone… they are the actors in a perfect play of daring associations, unusual discoveries and precise textures.

Gaetan Gentil - Agapé Substance © Thai Toutain

In the palette, crisp vegetables, tipsy with absinthe, seem to have come fresh from the garden and a langoustine Royale is delicately unveiled behind a cauliflower foam. Sea urchin nestles cozily with a chestnut, while marinated scallop rests coolly beside a lemon balm granita. Next, in a change of tone, there is a puffy pecorino ravioli followed by one of Toutain’s famed dishes: a gently poached egg with a brioche foam, compté cream and smoked duck magret. The splendid dish is soaked up with multigrain bread from Eric Kayser, in a sort of luxury version of runny eggs and soldiers…

The langoustine tail is hay-smoked and served with a delicious, buttery salsify purée, while the Chalans duckling is a voyage unto itself, dressed with spices and sweet potato.

Each dish has its own wine and the pairings are intelligent. The sommelier, Thibault Simon, talks lovingly of his discoveries such as the white wine vinified cabernet sauvignon from the Domaine Léandre Chevalier, or the 2007 sauvignon from the Lot-et-Garonne, fragrant with apple and honey.

The meal ends with two fresh proposals: either mandarin jelly with coriander, Greek yoghurt and a honey wafer, or litchis with a macadamia crunch.

An open menu is not everyone’s favorite, but when it procures as much pleasure, emotion and surprise as this one, we can only be delighted by our choices. And that’s thanks to genius.

By Vanessa Besnard for Terroirs de Chefs

Pascade - Paris

At Pascade, the Michelin-awarded chef and owner of SaQuaNa in Honfleur, renders a warm tribute to his native Aveyron.

Having always proposed this typical Aveyron crepe to his Normandy clients, Alexandre Bourdas decided it was time for Parisians to discover it.

The restaurant is the result of a childhood friendship forged in the back row of school at Rodez in the south of France, between Bourdas and his now wine waiter Sébastien Pradal. The two friends have been working on the project in great secrecy for over a year. The final result is a contemporary canteen with a stylish and warm decor of iron, wood and stone, and where one can “eat in 45 minutes”, as promises the chef.

Pascade - Paris

The menu is tucked into a nook carved out of the table and has be rolled out, parchment-style, to be read. The menu’s concept is the pascade, a light crepe typical of the Aveyron department. Here, it is delivered in 6 savoury versions and 4 sweet versions. The ‘originelle’, with chives and truffle oil, is a nod to SaQuaNa where Alexandre Bourdas has served it as an appetizer since the restaurant’s beginning. The other pascades vary in function of the day’s market, the season and the chef’s inspiration. For example, the semolina pascade is a daring mix of carrot, caramelised almond and grilled herring, whilst the leg of lamb pascade is served with bak-choy and Vietnamese black cardamom. In a simpler version, the sliced ham pascade comes with endives, garlic paste and bread croutons, achieving a delicious balance of textures. The pascade itself is crisp on the edges and melts in the middle, just like a perfect, runny omelette.

The sweet versions are even better, such as the pascade with licorice-stewed pineapple pieces and mandarin chunks huddled under a cocoa butter and caramel mousse.

By Vanessa Besnard for Terroirs de Chefs

La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet

It was the long-awaited opening of this fall. The wonderful Anne-Sophie Pic, France’s only three-star chef, had announced the opening of a Parisian address following the success of her Valence gastronomic adventure.  Great news - we no longer had to take the train south to appreciate the scope of her talent (although it was a smart bet, to bring Paris clients to Valence).

Anne-Sophie Pic’s idea for the Parisian restaurant was to make it really ‘her’ restaurant, a very personal creation that would be refined and feminine.

The beautiful interiors of Dame de Pic are by Bruno Borrione, her design partner from Valence. In delicate shades of pale pink and white, there is nonetheless a touch of fantasy with for example the leather cut-out flowers. The overall effect is smooth, gentle, welcoming.

The show starts in the street where passersby can watch the kitchen staff busy in the open kitchen that looks onto the dining room.

The score is written by Anne-Sophie Pic and it is her young chef, Xavier Jarry, 28 years old, who interprets it daily for an enchanted audience.  

La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet

For Anne-Sophie Pic, a meal is to be ‘observed, inhaled, tasted, relished’.  Before choosing a menu, guests are invited to breathe in perfumed tabs, an original creation by Philippe Bousseton, the ‘nose’ at Takasago.  Closing our eyes, we let the fragrance notes evoke the adventure of each menu. They incarnate the chef’s inspiration:  amber vanilla, sea and flowers, sous bois and spices  and the olfactory emotion is a preface to the tasting experience.

As an aperitif, there is butter. But not any old butter, for it is infused by the inspired chef with aniseed and matcha green tea. It is served with bread, of course. But, not any old bread; the best, from star breadmaker Gontran Cherrier.

The Amber Vanilla menu, declared favourite by feminine clients (the gentlemen apparently opt for a spicy adventure in the sous-bois) begins with a beetroot composition.  Black, red, orange – all the forgotten flavours of real beetroot are there.  We can almost taste the earth that nurtured it.  The dish is accompanied by an emulsion of Blue Mountain coffee. 

Next comes the cabbage.  Cooked, crisp and fragrant, it is perched on a vanilla bergamot froth.  The Bigorre pork is baked at very low temperature for 8 long hours.  Stuffed with Colonnata lard, it is seasoned with green tea and served with fig slices that beautifully match the mood of the season.

Next, the star chef discreetly lets her head patissier, Etienne Culot, step up and present his creations.  A reworked rum baba cohabits with little meringue domes bearing a hint of ginger and little gelatine drops that melt in the mouth. The passionfruit coulis sets our tastebuds all astir.

La Dame de Pic - Paris ©Elisabeth Lhomelet

As at the theatre, we want more.  And here it comes, with the coffee:  little nibbles that take us straight back to childhood.  We won’t spoil the surprise, and let you discover them yourselves….

By Vanessa Besnard for Terroirs de Chefs

The Wanderlust - Paris

The Wanderlust "A living space for replenishing mind and body"!

It was the talked-about opening of last spring. In June 2012 a unique, multiplatform space opened up in the Fashion and Design Centre in Paris. Behind the launch: the Groupe Savoir-Faire, owners of the Silencio and Social Club nightclubs.

In the spirit of Juvenal’s Satires, one comes to the Wanderlust to replenish mind and body: contemporary art installations, film projections, debates, DJ sets, yoga, Sunday brunch bazaar, nightclub, kids events (how to make your own superhero cape) plus 100% girly workshops such as how to make your own lipstick.

Fashion, photography, music, cinema… The arts take centre stage at the Wanderlust and it is only natural that the culinary arts should have a role there too.

Benjamin Darnaud concocted the restaurant menu and, drawn from his different travels and encounters, the menu perfectly reflects the nature of the chef and the place - eclectic, original and in perpetual motion. For at Wanderlust, nothing stays still very long.

Seated on an immense terrace on the banks of the Seine, one has to make a difficult choice between razor shells, bo bun with a gentle peanut touch, a tomato-buffala love affair, or bream ceviche with celery and granny smiths. While the presentation is classical, the chef’s real talent becomes apparent once the tastebuds discover his subtly blended flavors. There is sometimes a tangy side, as with the razor shells in which we also detected a touch of vanilla.

The daily special was poached salmon on a bed of crisp vegetable carpaccio - fennel, carrots and raw zucchini. Hot fish on cold vegetables: it is daring, and the dish is further enhanced by a subtle citrus note.

The Wanderlust - Paris

The pizzas emerge from a magical oven. One comes dressed with an exceptional chorizo, another combines fourme d’ambert cheese with lemon.

To finish with, an impeccably whipped cream observes a ballet of strawberries. For perfect textual equilibrium, the chef sprinkles crunchiness over the top.

You could spend all day lounging on this terrace. In fact, we’ll be doing that, next Sunday. Start with an outdoor yoga class, followed by brunch. Settle in a deckchair with a cocktail and it will almost be time for pre-dinner drinks…

By Terroirs de Chefs

Helen - Paris

Helen
In the kingdom of fish!

The founders of Helen are Franck Barrier, house manager, and Sébastien Carmona Porto, young chef and true master of the fine art of fish preparation and cooking.
 
The restaurant is an ode to the sea, starting with the blue and white interior design. Crossing the threshold of Helen is like setting foot inside an aquarium; sardines dart around the walls, a giant stingray dozes overhead and on the plate, it is just as marvellous.

The menu is inspired by the catch of the day and dishes are as eagerly awaited as fishing boats coming home to port. Sole, wild sea bass, grouper, prawns...all the classics are there, as well as carabineros (giant red prawns), baby octopus and chapon (large Mediterranean scorpion fish with a poisonous sting).

Fleshy, carmine-coloured Spanish mussels are steamed and served with a dash of strong aioli. Scampi are served head to tail, resting on an aioli soufflé. Their flesh is exquisite, thanks to the exceptional care taken in their delivery: transported in individual boxes so as not to damage each other, the scampi are shelled alive and cooked just before serving.

The young sommelier’s suggestions are intelligent and include several organic wines. She convinced us of the Mâcon-Chaintré 2007 domaine Valette. The desserts are well thought out and avoid a heavy finish to the meal - lemon tart for a sugary tang, chocolate for the addicts, and fruit, all served on an old-fashioned dessert trolley.

With exceptional, perfectly cooked produce, subtle flavours and original preparations, Helen is a success on every level.

By Vanessa Besnard for Terroirs de Chefs

Les 110 de Taillevent - Paris

110 wines by the glass for astonishing wine/food compositions
How delightful it is to be surprised. A brasserie "Les 110 de Taillevent" that proposes 110 wines by the glass and where each dish is associated with four wines….
This hasn’t been done before in Paris. 

Hats off to the Gardinier brothers - Thierry, Laurent and Stéphane, all three at the head of the Taillevent group - who came up with the idea of sharing the treasures of the Taillevent wine cellar. The elegant interior is a magnificent tribute to the world of wine, from which designer Pierre-Yves Rochon drew his aesthetic inspiration: the wood in the dining room reminds us of oak casks; the bottle walls filter a warm green hue into the lighting; the metal-ringed tables evoke barrels. There are intelligent touches down to the very last detail, such as the table napkin designed to be jotted on during the meal, then torn off and taken home. In particular, a beautiful, 37-metre fresco of vines weaves its way around the walls, painted by Thierry Bruet in gold leaf. Sublime.

The ‘sommelier’ menu features 10 entrees, 4 fish dishes, 6 meat, 4 cheeses and 6 desserts, and is organised around the wine, which is proposed in four price ranges. Alain Solivérès inspired the menu, Emile Cotte delivers it, beginning with a delicate mackerel entrée, strongly perfumed with coriander and accompanied by an extraordinary but subtle mustard ice cream. The kidneys are plump and generous and the full flavour of tender calf’s liver is perfectly drawn out by a 2009 Fronsac Château La Rousselle. The meal is completed with wild strawberries served on a panacotta bed with basil ice cream, accompanied by a recommended Crémant but just as good with the 2008 Mercurey Les Ruelles, Château de Chamirey. For there are no rules here, guests are encouraged to explore the menu and discover the treasures in the glass and on the plate. In two words: perfect harmony.
By Vanessa Besnard for "Terroirs de Chefs"

L'Instant d'Or - Paris

Out of this world on the Avenue at L'Instant d'Or, Frédéric Duca has put his bags down in the former Flora Mikula restaurant, bringing with him a brand new interior design that is totally white and zen yet with a slightly manga edge.

At only 34 years old, the young chef has already honed his skills at Passédat, Taillevent and Hélène Darroze. Now captain of his own ship, he has brought on board an elegant and highly qualified staff that includes the great sommelier Marco Martinetti.

All the necessary ingredients are there: location, design, ambiance and staff. The cuisine is remarkably intelligent and beautifully presented; the products are of an excellent quality. The chef often flirts with the very top by proposing truffle, lobster and wild sea bass.

L'Instant d'Or - Paris

Salmon is prepared in a perfect tataki whose firmness is in exquisite contrast with a creamy cauliflower mousse accompaniment, followed by cucumber sorbet to cleanse the palette. The green asparagus, half pureed and half roasted, is paired with frogs’ legs in a beef jus.

The show goes on with large artichoke ravioli that appear miraculously to stand up all by themselves. The roasted sweetbread medallion, delicately flavored with pineapple sage, melts in the mouth and is a perfect match for the potatoes creamed with morels and vin jaune sauce.

The head pastry cook is of Japanese origins and she invites us to discover a dessert of tangy lemon cream whose acidity is countered by a daring celery sorbet.

In sum, time spent at the latest Parisian gastronomic gem is indeed ‘golden’. Faultless, the chef’s work shimmers from the beginning to the end of the meal.

Vanessa Besnard for "Terroirs de Chefs"

Terroir Parisien by Yannick Alléno ©Jean-Francois Mallet

Terroir Parisien by Yannick Alléno

The best of regional Paris in your plate

The three-star chef pays a glowing tribute to his hometown at the new ‘Terroir Parisien’ restaurant, attached to the Maison de la Mutualité.

Four years after launching the ‘Parisian produce’ trend and publishing a book of the same name, Alléno wanted to invite Parisian gourmets to come and taste for themselves the excellent products cultivated in their local, greater Paris region.

The different produce is carefully selected and flavors delicately developed in the plate: ham or mushrooms from Paris, mustard and Brie from Meaux, veal, mint from Milly–la-Forêt, belle de Fontenay potatoes…

The modern bistro design is by Jean-Michel Wilmotte, whose graceful blend of cobblestone, zinc and wooden themes produces an elegant mix of polished and matt textures.

Since the restaurant’s triumphant opening on March 10, the 74 seats (60 in the dining room, 14 at the counter) are besieged daily and it is a good idea to reserve a day or two in advance.

What are the ingredients for such success? Chef Alléno proposes a contemporary, often cheeky, reinterpretation of traditional products and dishes, all at a reasonable price.

Le veau-chaud sauce gribiche façon hot-dog  ©Vanessa Besnard - Foodmark

The house specialty is without a doubt the ‘veau chaud’ or veal hot dog with gribiche sauce (whose reputation has already made it to New York!). Nestled in its own little box bearing Alléno’s name, a baguette is wrapped around a veal sausage made from calf’s head and creamy bone marrow. Other delicious options are frou-frou eggs, Pantin paté, soups and watercress salad.

Next, skate is prepared with a butter-based sauce to which capers bring a perfect, acidic tang. Stuffed cabbage is revisited to become a divine, multilayered and generous millefeuille with creamy filling and crisp cabbage.

After a black Brie or ash-rolled goats cheese, there is dessert: milky brioche pudding or an apple pie bearing a strong resemblance to a mini galette des rois, with a perfectly cooked apple quarter hidden in its heart.

The diners are lovers of authentic, good cuisine and the restaurant leaves a pleasant impression of ‘the old days’, when we could fetch produce from a neighboring farm, basket in hand. The chef has said he is proud to propose, after much work, a genuinely Parisian cuisine. Well, frankly, we are delighted to taste it.

Vanessa Besnard
Terroirs de Chefs

Le Chemise - Paris

Le Chemise
In the bistronomy trend.
An ex-Tour d’Argent is at the stoves of this chic and modern bistro.

After meeting at hospitality school, Fabien Demarty and Cédric Lacaze opened their first bistro in December 2011, near the République Square in Paris. The two thirty-somethings are perfectly cast: Fabien at front of house gives a sincere, good humored welcome to clients, while in the kitchen the quieter Cedric concentrates on preparing his appetizers. Formerly at the Tour d’Argent, he has developed a culinary style that is both traditional and inventive.

The menu changes every month and currently features a creamy chestnut soup drizzled with truffle oil, a homemade duck foie gras and a duck confit flaky pastry. But the real winner is the plate of melting prawn dumplings delicately perfumed with lemongrass.

The main dishes are just as delicious: 7-hour thyme-infused lamb shanks, Erquy scallops with Noilly sauce, Chateaubriand beef tenderloin with green peppercorns, or salmon gravlax panned on one side, the flesh turning lolly-pink.

The wine list is well thought out and proposes very reasonable vintages such as the Morgon Domaine Bouland 2010 at 25€ or the Pinot Noir ‘Signature’ at 21€.

For a sweet and light finish to the meal, there is brioche done French-toast style and a pear pound cake that confirm the chef’s talents as a pastry cook.

The two young men have succeeded the feat of offering bistronomy quality at a reasonable price, and the lunch menu at 15€ is a steal. Intrigued by the name of the establishment? Ask Fabien, who will be pleased to recount the numerous versions of the tale….

Review by Terroirs de Chefs 

Le restaurant L´Escient, situé dans le 17ème arrondissement de Paris, à proximité des Ternes et de la place de l´Étoile, vous invite à une escapade gourmande dans un cadre mêlant l´ancien avec ses murs en pierre et le moderne avec sa décoration et son mobilier.

Côté menu, le Chef vous régalera avec sa cuisine française riche et savoureuse qu´il sait agrémenter de connotations asiatiques pour le plus grand plaisir de vos papilles. Au choix : maki de bœuf à la coriandre, mignon de porcelet laqué miel-soja…

Pour vos événements festifs, l´établissement permet la privatisation du lieu. Une adresse à découvrir et à faire découvrir au plus vite !

Cobéa - Paris ©hystericstudios

A star is born in the 14th arrondissement of Paris

Cobéa is the new discovery on everyone’s lips. The arrondissement has until now been cruelly lacking in restaurants worthy of the title, defect that has been corrected since last September thanks to Philippe Bélissent, former Michelin-starred chef at L'Hôtel  (rue des Beaux Arts) and his front of house partner, Jérôme Cobou.

The young men have opened their restaurant on the former site of the well-known Monsieur Lapin. 

If the interior design seems a little old-fashioned (with an air of Sunday family lunch), the idea of opening the kitchen out onto the dining room is excellent.  Our taste buds start to tingle at the simple sight of the head chef behind his stove. 

The menu is refined and seasonally inspired, always premium.  The two partners have retained the 38 Euro lunch menu so successfully installed by Monsieur Lapin.  After delicious nibbles, razor clam with squid accompaniment is delivered to our table, followed closely by foie-gras sautéed with chestnut.  As for the main dishes:  wild young partridge cooked à la plancha, cod with braised green cabbage. The plates are both works of art and divine in the mouth.  The partridge needs a little sauce?  The chef himself comes from kitchen, saucepan in hand, to drizzle some over.

Comté aged for 24 months with a yellow wine zabaglione followed by a lemon-ginger sorbet to cleanse the palette, and it is already time to finish with the round biscuit dressed with a salted crème caramel.

The service is lively, the kitchen worthy of a star, the lunch menu is a boon.

The 14th arrondissement can at last boast its own grand chef!

Vanessa Besnard, Terroirs de Chefs

Septime - Paris

With the opening in Paris of attractive newcomer Septime, the neo-bistrot style has confirmed its place, thanks to highly talented young chefs who are reinventing cuisine with modern recipes and affordable prices.

Bertrand Grebaut is no exception. Formerly at Robuchon then Passard and l’Agapé, his launch is a perfect hit. The decor is attractive, the service particularly attentive and the menu clearly focused on quality produce. Basically, a recipe for success.

The menu is simple: 3 entrees, 2 mains and a nice selection of desserts.  The choice and price of the fixed menus-21 and 26 Euros for lunch, 55 Euros for the dinner menu of house specialities- explains their popularity.

A few minor drawbacks however: the room is very noisy and the portions a bit, well to be honest, too small.
In order to recharge our batteries, my guest and I decided to have 3 entrees, a main dish, cheese AND dessert!

By Thibault Leclerc, Terroirs de Chefs

Frédéric Simonin - Paris ©Frédéric Simonin

When Joel Robuchon took over from Ghislaine Arabian on Avenue Bugeaud to create ‘La Table de Joel Robuchon’, regulars quickly noticed the brilliant manner with which Frédéric Simonin executed the menu written by ‘le chef’.  

Today, following the purchase of ‘La Table’ by Jean-Louis Nomicos, Frédéric Simonin has decided to sign his own opus with a new venture on Rue Bayen in the 17th arrondissement.  

The restaurant has been completely redecorated in a modern, discreet, elegant and convivial style.  

Aged only 34,Simonin has thus decided to become his own master.  

We have become accustomed to his emphasis on seasonal produce and there is no exception here.   It is thus with great pleasure that we discover his crab served in tangy avocado jelly, green peas, red mullet, veal cutlets and the legendary ...."purée “.

There is also a slightly Asian touch, common to many of the ‘Robuchon stable’. And then there are the desserts, which are simply irresistible. 

Let’s be clear; we are in the presence of an emerging, future great chef. This is not an archive for the good memories from the ‘Table de Joel Robuchon’. The quality of the youthful service merits special mention: skilled, relaxed, friendly and unpretentious.

The wine waiter is excellent; you can safely put yourself in his hands. 

Count on 38 Euros for the fixed menu, going up to 100 Euros for à la carte.

Happiness has a cost, but here it is justified.

By Thibault Leclerc, Terroirs de Chefs